My mothers folks lived in Missouri for many years. I remember riding the Rock Island Express up there to see them. The rickety rack of the train going over the tracks, made me sleepy at night. The conductor aid dropping off fluffy pillows for us. Most of took time to get there back then, because the next morning we would cross from one cabin to the other for the breakfast room, set up quite spiffy for back then. Having cereal in those tiny little boxes, like corn flakes. ,looking out the window while the train was moving along.Once I spent the summer up there, i was six. I had to ride the train back all by myself as I was seven when returned. of course my grand ma talked to the attendants, made me a little brown sack of sandwiches to eat. I don't think I would let a seven year old do that today !
Lovely memories aren't they - everything was 'so' special as a child, the simplest things My happiest times were with my foster parents, I'd get into bed and from my window I'd gaze out into the night sky. At the bottom of a long garden was a rail track, I'd wait for the train and then sing 'Goodnight Irene' to my 'adopted' Brothers EDIT - Don't know why I put 'Goodnight Irene' - it was ........................... 'Goodbye Jimmy Goodbye' ....................
Hey ya'll I have to go for now... will be back on come tomorrow or Monday. Please continue to leave your blasts from the past for me
I was 13 the first time I rode the train to my grandma's without my family but I had my girlfriend with me...I was taking her to spend the month with me in Chicago. The trip always took about 8-9 hrs if I remember correctly. I loved taking the train back then...still do. My fondest memories are going by train to my grandparents...it always left at night and got there in the morning on the way there. Pittsburgh had a huge train station and we'd always get to buy comic books and candy for the trip, but besides all that...I was going to see my grandmother who was my favorite person...on the same level as my mom.
Unfortunately, I fear that our generation is the last generation which has grandmothers who know what that big thing is in that room where the frig and the microwave is. Ya know, the thing with 4 squiggly things on top and a door on the front and a bunch of knobs with numbers on them.
Although they never come to my house, when I visit them I still am always asked to cook their favorites that only I make and those are some Hungarian dishes. Both my son and daughter are good cooks, my son does it almost everyday except for a few when they eat out or order a pizza. He loves doing it though... My daughter likes to cook the holidays type meals and does an excellent job. I see my son being a cooking grandfather more than I see my daughter being a cooking grandma.
If chicken paprikash is one of those dishes, I'll be glad to go to your house. Makes me hungry just thinking about it.
@Bobby Cole Ah, but the newest generation of Grandmas surely know all the intimate secrets relating to Smart Phones, yes? Frank
@Bobby Cole "If chicken paprikash is one of those dishes...." My Dad would often beg my Mother to make it! He pronounced it with the "sh" sounding like a "ch". Frank
I believe that a trip to Walmart would reveal the younger generation of grandmothers to be somewhat more "liberated" or some such. Sights such as one twerking whilst singing loudly to whatever is playing over the bluetooth in her ear and perusing the varieties of condoms while allowing a grandson to scream at the top of his lungs can be seen on a daily basis. One would only wonder what type of hot pocket will be served for Sunday dinner.
Well hidy do to you all today. Walmart stores over here are open 24 hrs. if they are Super stores.Walmart is also the brunt of many jokes, mainly because of the way some do dress while shopping there. Many times I have told someone I went to the store looking like a 'Walmart person'...meaning in my case, no make-up and probably wearing shorts. Recently several other stores here have closed, so I am basically shopping for grocery there also now. The problem at Walmart, is you have to go early and get out early- in order find good parking place-and avoid the getting ran over by others with the carts.Lost my desire for crowds a long time ago- so I shop early everywhere. When I stayed that summer in Missouri, I loved going grocery shopping with them! They would give me 20 cents, and I would buy me a small bag of popcorn,and a cola drink. My grand dad would buy watermelon, and plenty of ice cream to eat. My job was to roll that watermelon up the many stairs atop that mountain they lived on- to the front door. GD also loved Pepsi cola drinks, so there were a case of those. At night he would take half gallon of ice cream, split it for us both. We would wash it down with the drink. Needless to say, between that and my GM cooking, i was a rolly poly when I came back to Texas. My mother put me on a diet
Sad but true I do miss the "good" old days. I know there are families that still gather for "real" Sunday dinners, but it's rare I ever see it.